The whale pushed biologist Nan Hauser with his head and his mouth, tucked her under its pectoral fin - even lifted the biologist out of the water on one occasion.

This is the heart-stopping moment a giant 50,000-pound humpback whale protected an unsuspecting snorkeler from a SHARK by pushing her through the water. The stunning video Nan Hauser and her team were able to capture - including point-of-view footage - show how the whale pushed whale biologist Nan with his head and his mouth.

The male tucked her under its pectoral fin - and even lifted the biologist out of the water on one occasion - which cannot be seen in the clip. Nan, 63, believes it is proof of whale's intuitive nature to protect other species of animal - including humans - something she believes has never been captured on film.